Liner sheet and side joints therefor



June 1967 R. E. KNIGHT ETAL 3,324,617

LINER SHEET AND SIDE JOINTS THEREFOR Filed Jan 14, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 13, 1%? R. E. KNiGHT ETAL 3,324,617

LINER SHEET AND SIDE JOINTS THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan 14, 1965 M {5. ATTORNEY 3,324,617 MINER SHEET AND SlDE JOINTS THEREFOR Richard E. Knight and Harold E. Martin, Connersville,

Ind, assignors to H. H. Robertson Company, Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Ian. 14, I965, Ser. No. 425,517 2 Claims. (Cl. 52--48I) This invention relates to improved liner sheets for use in building outer wall structures, and more particularly to improvements in the side joint between adjacent liner sheets.

Liner sheets of various configurations are available for use as the inner sheathing of a building outer wall structure. For example, a certain one of these liner sheets includes a flat rectangular central portion having a perpendicular side wall along each of the opposite sides of the flat central portion and a laterally extending flange formed along the outer edge of each of the side walls. The flanges extend in the same direction so that when the liner sheets are erected in sideby-side relation, a first flange of each of the liner sheets overlaps a second flange of an adjacent liner sheet. A bead of sealant material is preferably factory applied in a recess formed at the juncture of the first flange and the adjacent side wall. An edge of the bead of sealant material is exposed and positioned for engagement by the second flange of the adjacent liner sheet whereby a seal is formed at the joint between adjacent liner sheets.

This particular type of liner sheet has several disadvantages Which the present invention seeks to overcome. For example, it is conventional to bundle a number of the liner sheets in a package for shipment to the job site. During shipment of these packages, the beads of sealant material have a tendency to fall out of the recesses. This poses two problems. First, the beads of sealant material which have fallen out must be replaced at the job site prior to erecting the liner sheet. This, of course, adds to the erecting time as well as the labor costs. Second and more important, the liner sheets are bundled in such a manner that when the beads of sealant material fall out of the recesses, they contact surfaces of the subjacent liner sheets which are intended to be exposed surfaces, that is, the surfaces which are visible from the interior of the building. Since the sealant material is difficult to remove, a stain or stains frequently remain which detract from the desired appearance of the completed wall structure.

Another disadvantage resides in the fact that manufacturing tolerances of the liner sheets are such that the head of sealant material is not always positioned for precise engagement by the second flange of an adjacent liner sheet. When this occurs, a seal is not formed in the joint between adjacent liner sheets and, therefore, air and vapor are permitted to pass relatively freely into and out from the building. This, of course, diminishes the insulating value of the building outer wall structure.

Accordingly, as an overall object, the present invention seeks to provide an improved liner sheet for use in a building outer wall structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improve-d liner sheet wherein the head of sealant material is more securely retained and thereby prevented from becoming disengaged from the liner sheets when the liner sheets are handled or transported to the construction site.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved joint between adjacent liner sheets having a more effective seal.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved joint between adjacent liner sheets which is substantially unaffected by dimensional variations which occur in the liner sheets during their fabrication.

3,324,6l7 Patented June 13, 1967 In accordance with the present invention, a liner sheet is provided comprising a flat rectangular central portion having a perpendicular side wall along each of its opposite longitudinal sides. The liner sheet is provided with laterally extending longitudinal flanges, one each formed along each of the side walls. Both of the longitudinal flanges extend in the same direction, the overall arrangement being such that when the liner sheets are erected in side-by side relation, a first flange of each of the liner sheets overlaps a second flange of an adjacent liner sheet.

The first or outboard flange is provided with an inwardly opening longitudinal recess adapted to receive a bead of sealant material. The depth and width of the inwardly opening recess are such that the bead of sealant material resides substantially entirely within the recess. Further, the head of sealant material has a major portion of its outer surface engaged with the walls of the inwardly opening recess so that it is more securely retained within the recess.

The outboard edge of the adjacent side wall, that is, the side Wall on which the second flange is formed, is adapted to serve in part as a sealant-penetrating lip. The sealant-penetrating lip is receivable within the inwardly opening recess of an adjacent liner sheet and penetrates the bead of sealant material carried therein. The outer edges or sealant-penetrating lips of each of the liner sheets are so positioned with respect to the inwardly opening recesses of the adjacent liner sheets, that minor variations in the width of the first and second side Walls are accommodated without adversely affecting the seal.

The first and second flanges and their integral side walls define vertically extending, load supporting elements which are adapted to support horizontal subgirts. Fasteners are employed for securing the subgirts to the load supporting elements and for securing the first and second flanges together whereby the sealant-penetrating lip is maintained embedded in the bead of sealant material.

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary isometric view of a building outer wall structure employing the liner sheets of the present invention as an inner sheathing;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary isometric view illustrating the liner sheet of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary transverse cross section of the present liner sheet illustrating certain relationships between the opposite sides thereof;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are fragmentary cross-sectional views illustrating the order and relative positions of adjacent liner sheets during their erection;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line VII-VII of FIG. 1.

Building outer wall structure Referring now to FIG. 1, a structural framework of a building, generally indicated by the numeral 10, is shown comprising vertical columns 12 (only one shown) and horizontal girts It (only one shown). Applied to the exterior face of the structural framework 10 is a building outer wall structure 16 comprising an inner sheathing 18 and an outer sheathing 20 which is supported on vertically spaced, horizontal subgirts 22 secured to the inner sheathing 18. Batts of insulation 24 are applied to the outboard face of the inner sheathing 18. Hence, the building outer wall structure 16 is completely insulated and has a relatively low heat transfer cocfficient.

The inner sheathing 18 comprises a plurality of liner sheets 26 formed in accordance with the present invention. The liner sheets 26 are erected in side-by-side relation and are secured to the girts 14, for example, by means of fasteners 28. The liner sheets 26 are connected together at side joints 30 which, as will be described,

.provide an effective seal between the adjacent liner sheets Present liner sheet The present liner sheet will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. Referring in particular to FIG. 2, the liner sheet 26 comprises, in general, a flat rectangular central portion 38 having first and second perpendicular side walls 40, 42 formed along the opposite sides of the flat rectangular central portion 38. A first longitudinal flange 44 is provided along the outer edge of the first side wall 40, which extends laterally from the first side wall 40 in a direction away from the flat rectangular central portion 38. A second longitudinal flange 46 is provided on the second side wall 42, which extends laterally from the second side wall 42 towards the first longitudinal flange 44.

The liner sheets 26 may be fabricated from a variety of suitable materials and in many sizes. For example, the liner sheets are preferably fabricated from steel or aluminum sheets having a thickness range from about 16- gauge to about 22-gauge and are presently available in widths of 12 inches and 24 inches and in lengths up to and including 40 feet.

For a more detailed description of the configuration of the liner sheet 26, reference is directed to FIG. 3. As can be seenrin FIG. 3, the first longitudinal flange 44 has a longitudinally extending, inwardly deformed central portion 48 which connects two spaced, lateral portions 50, 52. The inwardly deformed central portion 48 defines an outwardly opening, generally V-shaped groove 54 which, among other things, serves to center a drill bit when screw-holes are drilled through the first and second longitudinal flanges of adjacent liner sheets. The first lonigtudinal flange 44 also is provided with an inwardly opening recess 56 which is defined by a side portion of the inwardly deformed central portion 48, the lateral portion 50 and the outer edge portion of the first side wall 40. The inwardly opening recess 56 is adapted to receive a bead of sealant material 58, e.g., ropecaulking compound. -It should be noted that the depth of the inwardly opening recess 56 is such that the head of sealant material 58 resides substantially entirely within the recess 56. That is to say, the head of sealant material 158 does not project beyond the inboard edge 60 of the inwardly deformed central portion 48. It should also be noted, that the width of the inwardly opening recess 56 is such that a substantial portion of the outer surface of the bead of sealant material 58 is engaged with the periphery of the recess 56. Therefore, the bead of sealant material 58 is more securely retained within the recess 56.

It should be evident, that the configuration of the first longitudinal flange 44 is such that the inwardly opening recess 56 provides a relatively deep caulking pocket into which the bead of sealant material 58 may be applied and from which the bead of sealant material 58 cannot readily become disengaged. Further, the outwardly opening, generally V-shaped groove 54 provides a convenient centering means which, for example, readily positions a drill bit for the purpose of drilling screw-holes in the first and second longitudinal flanges 44, 46 when the liner sheets 26 are erected in side-by-side relation on the structural framework of a building. Finally, the spaced, flat lateral portions 50, 52 provide flat abutment surfaces with which the subgirts 22 may be engaged prior to securing the same to the overlapped first and second longitudinal flanges 44, 46.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the second longitudinal flange 46 comprises a central web 62 having outwardly diverging, integral leg portions 64, 66. The central web 62 and the leg portions 64, 66 define a longitudinal well 67 which is adapted to receive the inwardly deformed central portion 48 of an adjacent liner sheet. The leg portion 66 is integral with the outer edge of the second perpendicular side wall 44 and comprises, in fact, a reversely bent portion thereof. The outer edge of the second perpendicular side wall 42 comprises a longitudinal rib or sealant-penetrating lip 68 which is receivable within the inwardly opening recess 56 of an adjacent liner sheet.

It should be noted, that the depth of the second perpendicular side wall 42 is less than the depth of the first perpendicular side wall 40. Therefore, the longitudinal rib 68 is positioned Within the region defined by a first plane indicated by the dash-dot line 70 which intersects the inboard edge 60 of the inwardly deformed central portion 48 and extends therefrom parallel to the central portion 38; and a second plane indicated by the dashdot line 72 which intersects the inboard face of the flat material 58. Hence, when the second liner sheet 26B is pushed inwardly toward the girt 14, the longitudinal rib 68 will penetrate the bead of sealant material 58 whereportion 50 and extends therefrom parallel to the central portion 38. It is preferred that the longitudinal rib 68 project approximately midway into the region defined by the planes 70, 72. Hence, the longitudinal rib 68 of one liner sheet 26 will project approximately midway into the inwardly opening recess 56 of an adjacent liner sheet. Therefore, it should be evident that minor dimensional variations in the depth of the first and/ or the second perpendicular side walls 40, 42 will not adversely affect the penetration of the longitudinal rib 68 into the bead of sealant material 58.

Side joint between adjacent liner sheets the present liner sheet, a description of the side joint 30 between adjacent liner sheets will now follow with reference to FIGS. 4-7.

Referring now in particular to FIG. 4, a first liner sheet 26A is shown secured to the girt 14. A second liner sheet 26B is shown spaced from the girt 14 with the perpendicular side wall 40 thereof abutting the second perpendicular side Wall 42 of the first liner sheet 26A. The second liner sheet 26B is illustrated in a position just prior to its engagement with the girt 14. As can be seen, the longitudinal rib 68 is aligned with the bead of sealant by a seal between the adjacent liner sheets 26A, 26B is For a full understanding of the various advantages of automatically formed. Note also that the inwardly deformed central portion 48 of the first longitudinal flange 44 is aligned with and is receivable within the longitudinal well 67 of the second flange 46.

In FIG. 5, the second liner sheet 26B is engaged with the girt 14 and is secured thereto by means of one of the fasteners 28. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the first and second side walls 40, 42 and the first and second flanges 44, 46 possess the herein recited relationships, i.e., the longitudinal rib 68 extends midway into the inwardly opening recess 56 and is embedded in the bead of sealant material 58 while the inwardly deformed central portion 48 is engaged along the entire length of the longitudinal well 67 of the second longitudinal flange 46.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved joint between adjacent liner sheets, which is substantially unaffected by minor dimensional variations which occur in the liner sheets during their fabrication. It should be evident by inspection of FIG. that minor variations in the depths of either or both of the side walls 40, 42 may occur without affecting the penetration of the longitudinal rib 68 in the bead of sealant material 58. Furthermore, minor variations in the relative positions of either or both of the first and second flanges also may occur without affecting the penetration of the longitudinal rib 68 in the head of sealant material 58.

After a number of the liner sheets have been erected in the side-by-side relation, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the subgirts 22 may be secured in position. Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the subgirt 22 preferably comprises a channel-shaped central portion 74 having oppositely extending lateral flanges 76 formed integrally therewith. As can be seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the lateral flanges 76 are engaged with the spaced, flat lateral portions 50 of the first longitudinal flange 44. The subgirt 22 is secured to the first and second longitudinal flanges 44, 46 by means of at least one of the fasteners 32 and preferably two of the fasteners 32 each of which extends through one of the lateral flanges 76 and is threadedly engaged in the first and second longitudinal flanges 44, 46. Hence, each of the lateral flanges 76 will be in engagement with two spaced abutment surfaces comprising the spaced, lateral portions 50, 52 of the first longitudinal flange 44. Therefore, a stable connection between the subgirt 22 and the first and second longitudinal flanges 44, 46 is achieved.

As stated above, the side walls 40, 42 and the first and second longitudinal flanges 44, 46 of each adjacent pair of liner sheets, serve as a vertically extending, load supporting element. By virtue of the contoured configuration of the first and second longitudinal flanges 44, 46 and their internested engagement, they provide vertically extending load supporting elements having a relatively large load carrying capacity. The perpendicular side walls 40, 42 and the first and second longitudinal fiages 44, 46 achieve substantial rigidity between the vertically spaced subgirts 22 and, therefore, the building outer wall structure 16 (see FIG. 1) is able to sustain substantial Wind loads.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an inner sheath for a building outer wall structure comprising a plurality of liner sheets each having a central portion in substantially the same plane as an adjacent liner central portion and first and second perpendicular said walls on opposite sides of said central portion, each of said first and second side walls terminating in an outer edge, said liner sheets being secured to the structural framework of a building in sideby-side relation wherein a first side wall of one liner sheet abuts a second side wall of an adjacent liner sheet, the improvement comprising:

a first flange extending laterally from said outer edge of said first side wall over said second side wall of said adjacent liner sheet, said first flange having a longitudinally extending inwardly deformed central portion presenting an outwardly opening groove and lateral portions on opposite sides of said groove, said inwardly deformed central portion cooperating with one of said lateral portions and said first side wall to define an inwardly opening recess;

a bead of sealant material disposed in said recess;

a second flange extending laterally from said second side wall and comprising a central web positioned inboard of said inwardly deformed central portion and at least one outwardly extending leg portion, said leg portion being inclined downwardly relative to said central web and integral with said outer edge of said second side wall;

a longitudinal rib defined by said leg portion and said second side wall, said longitudinal rib projecting into said recess and being embedded in said bead of sealant material; and

fastener means extending through said inwardly deformed central portion and said central web for securing said first flange and said second flange together whereby said longitudinal rib is maintained embedded in said bead of sealant material.

2. In a building outer wall structure having an inner sheathing and outer sheathing overlying said inner sheath ing, said inner sheathing comprising a plurality of liner sheets each having a central portion in substantially the same planea s an adjacent liner central portion and first and second perpendicular side walls on opposite sides of said central portion, each of said first and second side walls terminating in an outer edge, said liner sheets being secured to the structural framework of a building in sideby-side relation wherein a first side wall of one liner sheet abuts a second side wall of an adjacent liner sheet, the improvement comprising:

a first flange extending laterally from said outer edge of said first side wall over said second side wall of said adjacent liner sheet, said first flange having a longitudinally extending inwardly deformed central portion presenting an outwardly opening groove and lateral portions disposed on opposite sides of said groove and presenting substantially coplanar outer surfaces, said inwardly deformed central portion cooperating with one of said lateral portions and said first side wall to define an inwardly opening recess;

a bead of sealant material disposed in said recess;

a second flange extending laterally from said second side wall and comprising a central web positioned inboard of said inwardly deformed central portion and at least one outwardly extending leg portion, said leg portion being inclined downwardly relative to said central web and integral with said outer edge of said second side wall;

a longitudinal rib defined by said leg portion and said second side wall, said longitudinal rib projecting into said recess and being embedded in said bead of sealant material;

at least two vertically spaced subgirts carried by said inner sheathing and adapted to support said outer sheathing, each of said subgirts comprising a channelshaped central portion having oppositely extended flange members engaged with said coplanar surfaces of said lateral portions; and

fastener means extending through said oppositely extending flange members, said inwardly deformed central portion and said central web for securing said subgirts to said inner sheathing and for securing said first and second flanges together whereby said longitudinal rib is maintained embedded in said head of sealant material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,302,949 11/1942 Palmer 52-394 X 2,918,993 12/1959 Coffman et al 52-483 X 2,991,855 7/1961 Buell et a1. 52-588 X 3,205,631 1/1965 Harris 52-490 X 3,238,681 3/1966 Vivio 52-588 X 3,253,376 5/1966 Straus 52-394 X FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner. M. O. WARNECKE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A BUILDING OUTER WALL STRUCTURE HAVING AN INNER SHEATHING AND OUTER SHEATHING OVERLYING SAID INNER SHEATHING, SAID INNER SHEATHING COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF LINER SHEETS EACH HAVING A CENTRAL PORTION IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME PLANE AS AN ADJACENT LINER CENTRAL PORTION AND FIRST AND SECOND PERPENDICULAR SIDE WALLS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CENTRAL PORTION, EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND SIDE WALLS TERMINATING IN AN OUTER EDGE, SAID LINER SHEETS BEING SECURED TO THE STRUCTURAL FRAMEWORK OF A BUILDING IN SIDE BY-SIDE RELATION WHEREIN A FIRST SIDE WALL OF ONE LINER SHEET ABUTS A SECOND SIDE WALL OF AN ADJACENT LINER SHEET, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: A FIRST FLANGE EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM SAID OUTER EDGE OF SAID FIRST SIDE WALL OVER SAID SAID SECOND SIDE WALL OF SAID ADJACENT LINER SHEET, SAID FIRST FLANGE HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING INWARDLY DEFORMED CENTRAL PORTION PRESENTING AN OUTWARDLY OPENING GROOVE AND LATERAL PORTIONS DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID GROOVE AND PRESENTING SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR OUTER SURFACES, SAID INWARDLY DEFORMED CENTRAL PORTION COOPERATING WITH ONE OF SAID LATERAL PORTIONS AND SAID FIRST SIDE WALL TO DEFINE AN INWARDLY OPENING RECESS; A BEAD OF SEALANT MATERIAL DISPOSED IN SAID RECESS; A SECOND FLANGE EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM SAID SECOND SIDE WALL AND COMPRISING A CENTRAL WEB POSITIONED INBOARD OF SAID INWARDLY DEFORMED CENTRAL PORTION AND AT LEAST ONE OUTWARDLY EXTENDING LEG PORTION, SAID LEG PORTION BEING INCLINED DOWNWARDLY RELATIVE TO SAID CENTRAL WEB AND INTEGRAL WITH SAID OUTER EDGE OF SAID SECOND SIDE WALL; A LONGITUDINAL RIB DEFINED BY SAID LEG PORTION AND SAID SECOND SIDE WALL, SAID LONGITUDINAL RIB PROJECTING INTO SAID RECESS AND BEING EMBEDDED IN SAID BEAD OF SEALANT MATERIAL, AT LEAST TWO VERTICALLY SPACED SUBGIRTS CARRIED BY SAID INNER SHEATHING AND ADAPTED TO SUPPORT SAID OUTER SHEATHING, EACH OF SAID SUBGIRTS COMPRISING A CHANNELSHAPED CENTRAL PORTION HAVING OPPOSITELY EXTENDED FLANGE MEMBERS ENGAGED WITH SAID COPLANAR SURFACES OF SAID LATERAL PORTIONS; AND FASTENER MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPPOSITELY EXTENDING FLANGE MEMBERS, SAID INWARDLY DEFORMED CENTRAL PORTION AND SAID CENTRAL WEB FOR SECURING SAID SUBGIRTS TO SAID INNER SHEATHING AND FOR SECURING SAID FIRST AND SECOND FLANGES TOGETHER WHEREBY SAID LONGITUDINAL RIB IS MAINTAINED EMBEDDED IN SAID BEAD OF SEALANT MATERIAL. 